MENTEE – Khiraj Bhalsing

Khiraj is a PhD student at Curtin University, Perth studying use of seed enhancement techniques like seed pelleting & encrusting for better delivery of native seeds in efforts of seed-based restoration activity. His current research aim is to develop an efficient native seed delivering technology which will allow the incorporation of not just seeds but also germination and plant growth enhancers, stress limiting compounds and anti-predation compounds while providing a means for standardizing seed shape and size for the highly variable native seed batches. He completed his Masters of Science in Biotechnology from Flensburg University, Germany after which he worked at Syngenta Seeds and CRODA (previously INCOTEC) mainly for researching new seed enhancement techniques for vegetable and flower seeds for European and South-East Asian market.